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NC State Board of Education Regions
Kindergarten Position Statement
The Power of K:
North Carolina Position Statement Kindergartens of
the 21st Century
Why?
• State Board Goal - 21st Century Learners - “Future Ready Students”– What does this mean for kindergarten
programs in NC?
– How can K support this goal?
– What are the successes & challenges for K teachers to meet this goal?
Why?
• Kindergarten Today– Challenges
• Lack of consistent goals / expectations / practices• Lack of understanding of effective practices for
working with young children• Implementation of standards while remaining true to
the learning styles and developmental needs of increasingly diverse 5 year olds.
• Retention– K ‘04-’05 6,659 students
6.1%
Why?
• Universal point of entry
• Public school credibility highest at kindergarten year
• Last position paper on Kindergarten– June, 1989
Why? • Kindergarten Teachers Speak Out
– January, 2006 - “K Sharing Day”– 50 teachers - regional representation– Administrators & B-K faculty– Purpose
• Begin the Conversation• Successes & challenges• Strategies and support systems• Gather data - programs, SCOS, assessment,
expectations
– Recommendations
DPI Action
• Prioritize recommendations– Kindergarten position statement
• The Power of K: NC Position Statement on kindergartens of the 21st Century
• SBE endorsement - June, 2007
Position Statement
• Letters of support / endorsement– NC Birth - Kindergarten Institutes of Higher
Education Consortium – NC Office of School Readiness– FPG / FirstSchool– NC Association of Elementary Educators– NC Association for the Education of Young
Children– Action for Children
Outcomes
– Guidelines / Framework for administrators & teachers
– Consistent and clear expectations / practices
– K Teacher Leader Initiative
– Ready Schools Initiative
– Connect preschool to kindergarten and kindergarten to first grade
– Establish the foundation for 21st Century Learning Skills and Future Ready Students
The Power of K
• The Mandate• The Power of K• Kindergarten Today• Kindergarten Children Today• Kindergarten Programs of the 21st
Century: Intentional Teaching and Learning
• North Carolina’s Charge
Be Creative!!
Illustrate your assigned section of the Power of KUse the chart paper and markers
Be prepared to share with other groups
Sharing Time
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The Mandate
The Power of K
• The Mandate– The guiding mission of the NC State Board
of Education– Globally competitive students– “Future Ready Students”– Kindergarten “leads the journey”
Sharing Time
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The Power of K
The Power of K
• The Power of K– “The early childhood years, birth through
age 8, are the most powerful years for learning, growth and development in the life of a child” (Jensen, 1998).
– Kindergarten is a foundation of a child’s and family’s attitude towards education
Sharing Time
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Kindergarten Today
The Power of K
• Kindergarten Today– Must meet multiple demands – Feels the pressure of increased
accountability– “suffers from the middle-child syndrome
[and] straddles the worlds of preschool and elementary school” (Graue, 2006)
– A delicate balancing act
Sharing Time
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Kindergarten Children Today
The Power of K
• Kindergarten Children Today– “Although the 21st Century brings new
experiences for young children, their developmental patterns, rates and ways of learning have not changed.”
– “still in a very sensitive period for brain development”
The Power of K
• Kindergarten Children Today– “Kindergarten children must be
appropriately challenged to progress academically and socially; however, when classroom experiences are not attuned to children’s developmental needs and individual characteristics, they undermine rather than foster children’s learning”. (Berk, 2006)
Sharing Time
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Kindergarten Programs of the 21st Century
The Power of K
• Kindergarten Programs of the 21st Century: Intentional Teaching & Learning– “K programs must respond to the complex
needs of children by linking instructional practices, the physical environment, and learning opportunities to the unique characteristics of 5 year olds.”
The Power of K
• Kindergarten Programs of the 21st Century: Intentional Teaching and Learning– Kindergarten classrooms must be engaging
and interactive where children are guided by trusted and nurturing adults who provide challenging, yet achievable learning experiences
– Requirements (page 3 of statement)
Sharing Time
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Play
The Power of K
• Kindergarten programs of the 21st Century: Intentional Teaching and Learning– Play is the core of a kindergartner’s learning
& development and is an essential element of a child’s education in the 21st Century.
– “integral to the academic environment”
– The absence of play is an obstacle
Sharing Time
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NC’s Charge
The Power of K
• North Carolina’s Charge– All students will graduate from a rigorous,
relevant academic program.
– Kindergarten programs must ensure rigor and relevance and guarantee supportive relationships for each student.
The Power of K
• Your Personal Charge– Awareness
– Share information with colleagues & families
– Reflect on your classroom practices and the Power of K framework
• What are your strengths? • What effective practices do you want to enhance?
The Power of the Kindergarten Child
It Takes a Village
to Raise a Child
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